what hunting rifle for newbie

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Jorg

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Hi,

I am new to rifles and recently purchased a Savage Mark II .22LR which I use at the shooting range to practice.
I would like to start learning to hunt, and am looking for advise on my next purchase of rifle.
Preferably bolt action.
Something I can use for game such as : deer, moose, black bear, ...
Comments and suggestions please.

Thanks!
 
savage makes some very nice bolt guns. I love my 10tr in 308, but there are many, and better. if budget is priority, I highly recommend savage.
welcome aboard, and enjoy your new hobby.
 
I would suggest NOT buying junk for your first rifle like a Savage Axis or similar. If you do it's not going to be long and you'll find yourself spending more money on something better.

I would suggest you start looking at a mid level rifle like a Tikka T3x. They are an excellent rifle and are still in the price range of being affordable.
 
regarding budget... I don't really have one yet... I'm learning and doing homework.
Maybe $1,000 - $1,500 CAD... don't know if that's good or if I need bigger budget to buy something descent.
 
Jorg said:
regarding budget... I don't really have one yet... I'm learning and doing homework.
Maybe $1,000 - $1,500 CAD... don't know if that's good or if I need bigger budget to buy something descent.
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That’s fine, plenty enough. Get it in .308, and buy any Remington 700, Browning X-Bolt, Winchester Model 70 or Tikka T3x, that meets your budget and tickles your fancy.
 
On the budget side, and people may scoff at this suggestion. The Remington 783 in the walnut stocks are nice rigs
 
Tikka, or weatherby vanguard 2 for ultimate value ! with a used vortex scope on it. I would recommend a a viper 2.5-10 or something like that.

Lastly caliberwise, I really like 308, you can get moose and bear with it with the right ammo and you can also have fun at the range with it. Eventually, if you only hunt moose and bear, you might want to consider another rifle in a more specialized caliber.
 
where you from and what hunting style you’ll be doing? .308 is great for everything in Ontario, you got a ton of cheap or match ammo available in a wide range of weights. BUT .308 can’t be used in most parts of Southern Ontario due to restrictions. Personally I don’t hunt moose so I’ve switched over to 6.5CM as my hunting rig that way I can shoot anything from coyote to Bear anywhere with no caliber restriction. Personally my favourite rifle ive owned has been the Remington 700 Milspec Gen2
 
The Remington 783 is a good starter rig. .308 is a good "do all " caliber. The entry level rifles on the market are not as bad as some would have you believe. Truth be told, all the critter I have harvested in the last 10yrs have been with "budget" rifles, and not a single animal complained.
 
murph83 said:
The Remington 783 is a good starter rig. .308 is a good "do all " caliber. The entry level rifles on the market are not as bad as some would have you believe. Truth be told, all the critter I have harvested in the last 10yrs have been with "budget" rifles, and not a single animal complained.
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I would second this. I bought a 783 with the walnut stock in .270 win with a vortex Crossfire II for $600 with a 100 rounds of ammo. The only “upgrade” I have added was a small washer between the trigger guard and stock to prevent the action screw from flexing the polymer trigger guard

Another important consideration for hunting is having enough room in the budget for dies, bullets, and brass. You’ll want to work up some good loads.
 
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Seems like the suggestions are :
-Remington 783 in the walnut stock
-Tikka T3x
-Howa 1500
-Weatherby vanguard

Are these all comparable? Any better then the other? Price ranges similar? All good for deer, black bear, small/medium game, and shooting range?
(FYI - I live in Quebec)

Thanks for everyone’s help… completely new and completely lost to hunting… but wanting to learn!
 
Jorg said:
Seems like the suggestions are :
-Remington 783 in the walnut stock
-Tikka T3x
-Howa 1500
-Weatherby vanguard
They’re all decent budget options. The howa and the vanguard are the same gun with a different name.

Are these all comparable? Any better then the other? Price ranges similar? All good for deer, black bear, small/medium game, and shooting range?
Comparable, with the 783 being cheaper for a reason. Now to hunt all these animals what you are looking for is caliber choice and not rifle. If you buy a 308, 3006 or 270 there is nothing you can’t do with it and you can always buy more specialized rifles later.

Thanks for everyone’s help… completely new and completely lost to hunting… but wanting to learn!
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Remember to budget for ammo, theory is nice but all your expectations and plans will change when you have field experience. Sometimes you have to stop thinking and just get good at shooting.

About my previous post, this is about a lesson many newbies learn the hard way: it’s better to put expensive glass on a cheap rifle than cheap glass on an expensive rifle.
 
Hunting rifle selection - first is fit. Try a few and take note of what feels good to you. Length, balance, grip. Should be comfortable and natural. Next is caliber selection. I’d recommend a popular caliber like 308 win or 270 win. Both will take most game in North America without punishing the shooter. Either side of these, 7mm-08 if you’re recoil sensitive and 30’06 to 300 mag if you think you need the extra hp. Optics - buy what you can most afford from a reputable company. I recommend 1” tubes on a hunting rig and nothing over 42mm objective. Mount that scope as low as possible and get one that’s easy to get a full sight picture with good eye relief. For me and the areas/distances I hunt, a compact rifle was the obvious choice. I picked a Winchester Model 70 Compact in 7mm-08 and stuck a Leupold VX3i 1.75x6x32mm scope on it. In all a $2000 setup. It fits and I’m confident with it. Good luck in your search!
 
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